Unloading and transferring apparatus.



G. M. BENNETT.

UNLOADING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1907.

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PATENTED in 5, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

e. M. BENNETT.

UNLOADING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUS.

' v APFLIGATION FILED JAF.14,\1907.

PATEBITED MAY 5, 1908.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. BENNETT, O F'KEXOSHA WISCCNSIN.

UNLOADING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented may 5, 1908.

Application filed January 14, 1907. Serial No. 352,154.

any desired point, such as a hopper for stokers, a bin, or a shed.

My primary object is to provide simple and readily operated apparatus for the urpose indicated havin igh capacity ant capable of being emp oyed for unloading a train of carswithout the necessity of moving the train of cars, for which purpose an engine is frequently not available.

In the preferred construction of the imr'ovcd apparatus, there are employed a ower track upon which the train of loaded cars is to stand, two independently supported elevated track-rails flanking and embracing the lower track, a transferring-car mounted 'on the elevated track. a lateral conveyer mounted on the transferring-car, a shovel adapted to transfer the material from the loaded car to the transferring-car, a shovelsupporting cable and a shovel-actuatingcable, and a small car or adjust able. cable-sup- .port mounted on the elevated track and with which' the shovel-supporting cable is connected, whereby the shovel-supporting cable .is extended over the cars of the train, thus enabling the shovel to travel to and from any car,- as desired.

The improved apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of the main portion of the apparatus: Fig. 2,

a sectional view at right angleslo the view shown in Fig. 1 and showing-also, a broken sectional view .of a storage building equipped with a conveyertadapted toreceive the ma terial from the lateral conveyer of the transferring-car; Fig. 3, a broken plan view show ing mechanism mounted on the transferringcar; and Fig. 4, a broken section showing a rail-gripping device employed to prevent dislodgmentor tipping of the transferringcar and the cable-supporting or anchoring car."

In the drawings, A represents a lower common gage rail-road. adapted to support loaded cars A (one-shown); B, an elevated abnormally broad gage rail-road comprising independently supported elevated trackrails B supported on I-beams B carried by separate rows of pillars B rising from-the ground on opposite sides of the track A; C, a cable-anchoring car mounted onthe broad gage elevated road B; D, a transferring-ear mounted on the broad ga e elevated road and comprising a frame D D, and a standard or mast D rising from the rear portion of said frame; I), a hopper, supported on said frame and to which leads an upwardly and rearwardly inclined chute D having a swinging lower section 1) suported by a pivot- D and by counter-weights 6 attached to cablesD assing over rollers carried by-t-russes D o the frame; D, a

shovel supported on a cable D one end of which is connected with the cable anchoringcar C and the other end of which passes over a wheel or pulley D at the upper end'of the.

'mast D and thence to. a winding-drum D? D, a draw-cable connected with the bail of the shovel and passing over a pulley 1) sn ported on the intermediateportion. of t e mast and thence to awindmg-drum D D a motor mounted on the frame D at lJll" base of the mast D andgeared to said fitted with wheels drums; D, a lateral conveyer supported onl' the frame of the transferring-car and projecting over and some distance beyond one" of the elevated track-rails, the lateralcon veyer being operatively connected with the shaft of the mot-or: E, a shed or storage building having a roof E v supported on bracket-s E carried by the upper portions of thevertical walls (one shown) of the building: E a track (one rail shown) within the building and extending. parallel with the elevated track B: and E a traveling conveyor mounted on thetrack E and adapted to 're ceive material from the lateral conveyer DB, whose outer or free end projects over the adjacent vertical wall of the building, as shown in Fig. 2.-

The track A for the loaded cars ma v be of the usual construction of arailroad track.

As stated, the track-rails of the'elevated track B are independently supported, so as notto interfere with the operation of the shovel in transferring the coal front the loaded cars to the ho per D, whence it is discharged upon the ateral oonveyerD.

The. columns B which support the track Tailsfa're preferably joined together in pairs by means of tie-rods b, as shown in Fig. 1.

I The'cable-anchorin car C may constitute a small truck fitted with a short mast c with which the shovel-supporting cable is con- .nected. The frame'of the truck is equipped with rail gripping' devices 0 which may be adjusted by means of nuts 0 according to the details shown in Fig. 4.

The transferring-car D may be of simple or elaborate construction, according to de- 1 sire. The frame D may be of skeleton construction, and referably has as a part thereof longitudinal channel bars (1 (shown in Figs.

3 and 4) witl1 which are connected the bearings d for the transverse shafts (1 upon which the traction-wheels D? of the transferring-car are secured. Two of the shafts d are'located on oppositesides of the motor I), as shown in Fig. 3, and are equipped at the ends with sprocket-wheels d which are connected by s rocket-chains d Theshaft of the motor 18 is connected by a belt d with a transverse shaft d which is joined by bevel gears to a longitudinal shaft (1 constituting the driving shaft of the endless belt of the lateral conveyer D The motor shaft is connected by gears d with the shafts of the "drums-DP, D and the drums are controlled by suitable c lutches.(not shown). The shaft of the drumD is connected by gears d with a stub shaft d which serves to operatea longitudinally ektending shaft (i which is equipped with a worm d serving to actuate a worm wheel (Z on one of the shafts d By this mechanism, the transferring-car may be propelled upon the elevatedtrack B in either direction, at will-,-- i;-t being understood that suitable controllin means (not shown) is employed for.'reg'u'ating the movement of the transferring-car. Whenthe transferringcar is at rest, the worm-gear mechanism serves as a lock for the transferring-car, tending to prevent the car from moving on its track. he frame D of the transferringcar is equipped, as shown in Fig. 1, with grappling hooks d which engage the heads or top flanges of the track-rails 13, serving to revent the transferring-car from tipping Y wit relation to the track. Each pair of hooks is joined by a pivot (i to a threaded bolt 11 which extends loosely through a ver tical wall in the frame member and is equip ed with a nut d", which may be ad.- juste to draw the hooks upwardly with re "lation to the track-rail, whereby the transferringear may be more firmly anchored upon the track, if desired. The gripping '60 devices a of the cable-anchoring car C are.

of the same construction.

The mast D -may be of any suitable con struction. It preferably is built up in the form of a skeleton pyramidal tower. The

'65 hopper D'*-has its lower and lecated directly dumped into the hopper and fed therefrom upon the lateral conveyer.

seams when the ridge at the junction of the chute D and the hopper is reached. The shovelsupporting cable D, in the arrangement shown, passes under asheave with which the shovel is equipped and has one end attached to the anchoring-car, C. However, the supporting-cable may be connected with the shovel and with the anchoring-car in any de- 35 sired manner.

The manner of controlling the operation of the drums D, D is'now well understood in theartQ The lateral. conveyer is adjustably connected with the frame of the transferringcar by a tackle d, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the outer end of the conveyer may be raised or lowered at will. The conveyer itself may be of any suitable type, and any suitable means (not shown) forcontrolling its opera 5 tion may be, employed. 7 v

The storage room E may be of any suitable construction. The brackets E? are so constructed as to afford the necessary space to permit movement of the lateral conveyer D when the transferringcar is moved upon its track. Any suitable means for moving the conveyer E to keep it in alinement with the lateral conveyer D may be employed.

The operation of the improved apparatus will bereadily understood from the foregoing description. The train of cars to be unloaded is located upon the track A, and the unloading and transferring apparatus mounted on the elevated track B is so arranged with reference to the car or cars, as to enable the shovel to descend to any car which may beselected. The motor D is then set in operation and the lateral conveyer D is thereby actuated. The operator then controls the operation of the drums D, D to permit the shovel to -descend into a car, the cable D beingslackened for this purpose, and

the cable D being then wound up to draw the shovel, causing it'to become filled and then travel through the chute D to the hopper, where the material is automatical y The lateral conveyer delivers the coal to the interior con- 1 25 veyer E, by means of which the coalis distributed within the storage building. When one portion of the building is filled, the apparatus mounted on the elevated trackis moved to a new position, and the interior ceases conveyer E is moved into alinement with the lateral conveyer D when the operation may be resumed. The cable 1 anchoring-car C may be moved by any suitable means (not shown), after first loosening the grappling devices -c. The transferring-car may the motor D with the tractibn mechanism of the car. Jlny' reasonable number of cars may be unloaded without the necessity of moving the apparatus mounted onthe elevated track by employing cables 1), D of suflicient length.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no undue limitation is to be 'understood therefrom.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,--

' 1. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an elevated track comprising independent supports separated by a space adapted to receive between them the cars to be unloaded, and'uriloading and transferring-mechanism mounted upon said track, comprising a transferring car equipped with a lateral conveyer, and means for transferring material from a, transportation car to said lateral conveyer.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of independent elevated supports separated by a space adapted to receive a transportation car, an unloading and transferring mechanism mounted on said elevated supports comprising a trans-- ferring-car equipped with .a lateral conveyer, cablezanchoringmeanslocated at a distance from the transferring car, a shovelsup orting'cable connected with said cable anc oring means and with the transferring car, and a draw-cable connected with the shovel and with the transferring-car, whereby the shovel may be-lowered between said independent supports into the transportation car, filled and then withdrawn from the transportation car to deliver the material upon said lateral conveyer.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combmation of a pair of independently supported elevated track-rails, a cable anchoring car mounted upon saidrails, a transferring -car mounted on said rails and equipped with a lateral conveyer, a shovelsupporting cable connected with the cableanchoring-car and with the transferring car, a shovel suspended from said cable, and a draw-cable connected with the shovel and the transferring-car, for the purpose set forth.

4. In apparatus otv the character set forth, the combination of independently supported track-rails, an intermediate track on a lower plane adapted to receive transportation cars thereon, and unloading and transferring mechanism mounted on said rails, comprise moved upon its track at will by connecting 3 ing cable-anchoring means, a transferringcar equipped with a lateral conveyer, a shovel-supporting cable connected with the cable-anchoring means and with the trans ferring-car, a shovel suspended from said ca ble, a draw-cable connected with said shovel and with the transferrin -car, and'means for actuating said cables.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth. the combination of an elevated track comprising independently supported trackrails, an intermediate track located at a lower plane, and unloading and transferring mechanism mounted on said first-named track comprising a cable-anchoring car and means for fixedly securing said car at a desired point on the elevated track, a transferring-car means for securing said car at a desired point on the elevated track, a lateral conveyercan ried by the transferring-car, a shovel ipporting cable, a shovel suspended therefrom, and a draw-cable, for the purpose set forth.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an elevated track comprising inde endently supported elevated tra :krails, a ower intermediate track, cableanchoring means, a transferring-car mountedon the elevated track and equipped with a lateral conveyer and with a hopper. located above said conveyor, a chute leading to said hopper and having a movable section adapted to swing dovmwardly between the elevated track -rails, a shovel supporting 7 cable. connected with said cable-anchoring means and with the transferring-car, a shovel suspended therefrom, and a draw-cable connected with the shovel and with the transferring-car, said shovel adapted to be drawn through said chute and discharge its contents into the said hopper, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a parat-us of the character set forth, the combination of a track, cable-anchoring means, a sh0vel-supporting cable connected therewith, a draw cableconnected with said shovel, and a transferring-car having traction wheels mounted upon said track, winding-drums mounted on the transferring-car and connected with said cables, and a motor mounted on the transferring-car and geared to said drums and to a traction wheel, for the purpose set forth.

8. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combmation'of a track, cable-anchoring means, ashovel-supporting cable connected therewith, a shovel suspended from said cable, a draw-cable connected with the shovel, and a transferring-car mounted on said track comprising a frame equipped with tractionwheels, winding-drums connected with said cables, a motor geared to said windingdrums, worm-gear mechanism connecting the motor with the traction wheels, and a lateral conveyer connected with the motor.

9. In apparatus of the character described, l the combination of a track having flanged traclerails, cable-anchoring means, a shovelsupporting vcable connected therewith, a shovel suspended from said cable, a drawcable connected with the shovel, and a transferring-car comprising a frame equipped with wheels resting, upon said, track, grappling devices connected with said frame and engagingthe flanged rails of the track, Windingdrums mounted on said frame and connected with said cables, a motor serving to actuate said winding-drums, and a lateral conveyer connected with andgactuated by said motor.

10. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an elevated track commie seams ing independently supported track-rails, a lower intermediate track, a transferring-car mounted on said elevated track and equipped with a lateral conveyer, a building having a lateral opening through Which the end of said lateral conveyer projects, and an. adjustable brought into alinement with said lateral conveyer, for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE M. BENNETT.

In the presence of- L. HmsLAn, C. W. WASHBURNE.

20 conveyer within said budding adaptedto be 

